India is moving toward finalising its Twelfth Five-Year Plan, for
2012-17. The process is long and fascinating. A 140-page draft approach
paper was made available late last year, and has been followed by an
exceptional process of consultation and discussion, including meetings
across the country, a website that allows citizen discussions of
specific points and issues, and even a Facebook page. The Plan document,
and the framework of 12 strategy challenges, are encompassing in
nature, as befits the ambitious goal of faster, sustainable and more
inclusive growth.
The world’s other emerging giant, China, also still has
Five-Year Plans. In this case, it is only a year or two ahead of
India—its Twelfth Plan was finalised last year, and covers the period
2011-15. One cannot imagine the Chinese government having online
discussions by citizens for shaping such a document, and certainly not a
Facebook page. But more than the process, which is ultimately mostly
top-down at the formulation stage for both countries (because that is
where the expertise and knowledge mostly reside), the tenor and goals of
the two Plans are quite different.
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